Blogspot 7: Alcohol

We are a generation wherein everything we need are very easily provided. Meaning to say, unlike the old days, people nowadays can just simply go to a convenient store and be able to purchase the things that they want or need. Back in our grandparents generation, it would take them at least a few hours before the can reach another city or town that has a small store that sells goods. although, as the years go by, the value of money is also increasing. For example here in the Philippines, a peso back then could already mean a hundred peso in our days but how does a peso value now. The only thing that you can buy with one peso is just a candy.

Money is a given necessity of people. You won't be able to purchase any goods like clothes, food, drinks without money. However, there is one thing that people particularly the teenagers consider as a necessity too--drinking. It is a vice that teenagers these days tend to be addicted to aside from drugs and smoking. Though some say that alcohol may have positive effect on our body given the right amount of intake but it doesn't remove the bad things that could happen when you're under the spell of an alcohol. Once you start drinking, you may might have a problem saying "NO" the next instance you'll be tease to have another shot or another bottle.

In relation to the problems of drinking, there's one article written by Buddy T, it is not his name because he is a member of a support group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on the web site. He wrote Teen Drinking - Not Just a Phase from About.com.Alcoholism where he emphasizes the need of help of those teenagers who have already developed the addiction to alcohol. He stresses out the effects that a teenager may go through if they are not given the proper attention. There are several studies that have been done and as a result, "Of these students with alcohol problems as teens, a full 80 percent also had psychological problems such as depression or behavioral disorders."

It is very important that we must be aware and try to be involve in the lives of other people when it comes to this kind of situation. Especially the parents, our world is very different now, young people are easily persuaded by what is "in" in our generation and all of those are good, majority of those are not good rather.

As I continue with my blog, there's another articles that explains further the damage of what drinking can do to you. It came the article of Ms. Sarah B. entitled Teen Drinking from the site Teen Ink. Sarah have listed down the damages of alcohol in our body especially to our brain. 
She have emphasized the common thinking of drinkers that alcohol can give them strength or energy but rather it is a depressant. Another insight that have shocked me is the fact that beers or alcohols have the capability to literally can shrink our brain, damage our capability to think and also can take away our vision. Also, some of the top crime or incidents recorded that involves drinking are pregnancy, rape and even death due to driving and drinking. As early as possible we must be educated properly so that in the future we will know specially young people, what to do when pressure comes. As quote in the article, "A little bit of alcohol probably won’t kill you, but it can lead to poor decisions."

Blogpost 6: Inked Forever

Art is something you develop in your mind and express it in different ways. People use it to let others know how they feel. However, others use it as a tool for communication. If that is the case then it is safe to say that art is part of our everyday lives. One of the advantages of art is that through it, people may know and may have an idea of who you are.

Art is everywhere. You see it at home, work, nature, etc. Every generation has developed their own mark for arts. What do I mean by this? They have this specific trademark wherein whenever people see it they could easily associate it with a specific generation. For example, arts regarding clothes. People these days do not dress up the way the 60's generation do. Although it defines our generation it doesn't mean there are no similarities. There are still some trends that have passed from generation to generation. Just like the tattoo.


Tattoo is considered as an art by some, while others see it as a sign of rebellion. Tattoo has already existed 5000 years ago, before your grandparents were even born. It was a sign that shows from what family they came from, or the status they held in society. Others considered it as very sacred, like the Polynesians. They found their protection and spiritual powers in their tattoos. They have there own way of marking the tattoo on their bodies.

But unlike before, tattoos are very different now. Although it may hold a special meaning to some, it is merely an art on your body and nothing else. People will not know your position in life or in the society with your tattoos these days. Also, having a tattoo is very easy for anyone now. They just need to go to a tattoo artist and get their desired design laid out. In just a few hours, your tattoo is already inked on your body.

Having a tattoo simply means deciding to have it on your body for the rest of your life. Some ink their bodies with different tattoos without even thinking of the effects in the future. There was an article written by Imogen Edwards-Jones at Mail Online entitled, Warn every teen you can! They'll regret that tattoo... just like me: Our writer wishes she had never been inked.
It is about a women who decided to get tattoos during her teenage years, but now could not recall the main reason why she did it. Now that she is in her 40's, the tattoos do not look as nice as before due to her aging skin. Yes, tattoos may last forever but that doesn't give you the assurance that it will look as beautiful as it once did. As she said in the article, "When you become a not-so-yummy mummy on the school run, the presence of tattoos becomes quite mortifying."

Is tattoo an art? Yes it is. However, not all forms of art are pleasing to others. We must remember that we all have freedom. But once that freedom starts negatively affecting other people, it can be overruled.

Having a tattoo has become a trend in our society and in our generation. There's one good article that argues whether a tattoo is a sign of rebellion or just simply an expression of one's self. I have found a very insightful portion in the article and it says:

  

Tattooing can be considered a permanent and slightly painful art form or a senseless ink stain.

 Everyone has their own opinion about teens getting tattoos but at the end of the day the opinion that really matters is the teens because they are the ones that are going to have to live with their tattoo for the rest of their life.

For some, tattoo is a performing art just like the article Ms. Emily Randall has stated, entitled Tattooing Makes Transition From Cult to Fine Art from The New York Times. It simply discusses how people value the art of tattoo, and how it is used in our generation to express the work of art. " Today, by contrast, there is a sharp increase in tattooists seeking to establish unique artistic identities." Unlike before, people use tattoos nowadays as means of earning for a living. Others use it to have credibility in the artistic world. In the end, we all have our own way of expressing art. However, we must be mindful of the things that they could mean to other people and what it could bring us, not only for today, but most especially in our future. 

Source: http://teenink.com/opinion/pop_culture_trends/article/438799/Teens-with-Tattoos-Rebelling-or-Expressing/ 

Blogpost 5: Pass the Message

Communication is very important especially in our generation. People nowadays tend to depend on other people through their messages which is delivered in many ways. We let people know our feelings and ideas by relaying our messages to them. Back then, it was so difficult to do that because the means of communication were very limited. Sending a message will take days even months before it gets to be delivered. That's why they have associated it with what you call snail mail. How does it work? Well, for you to be able to send a snail mail, you need to have a messenger who will deliver the mail to your recipient. 

As you all know, this kind of setting is very difficult since you cannot tell someone right away in an instant. However, as time pass by, new ways of communication were developed. First came the pager, where you call a number then your message will be relayed from the tower, which will send it to the person's pager. But there are also some disadvantages with it because it is just one-sided. The only difference is that it is faster than the snail mail. Then comes the cellular phone, this time, you can send your message and also receive a reply right away.

Cellular phone or most commonly known as the cellphone, have evolve from black and white to being colored, now it also the capability to take pictures and videos where you can upload it in the internet so that you can share a very special moment to other people. But there's one article which discusses the down fall of cellular phones.

An article written by Ben Spencer, it is entitled Mobile users can't leave their phone alone for six minutes and check it up to 150 times a day from the site Mail Online. Mr. Spencer talked about how cellular phones became a necessity in life. He tackled how people react with and without their phones with them. There are times when people spends too much time on their gadgets letting them end up being unproductive. It became a hindrance rather than a help as it continues to improve its capabilities. As he said and I quote, "It’s the gadget that many of us would feel lost without."

In addition to what our cellular phones can do, Sajid Bashir has listed the things that we can anticipate regarding the use of our cellphones. He wrote in A Short Article regarding the Mobile Phones from Dublin Property Post that in some nations the number of phones have already out numbered the number of their population. With just a small gadget in our pocket we can already do a lot of things and accomplish them in just one click. He has predicted that in the near future we its not impossible that we can even use our phones to start our car. He said that, "Cell phones now supply so many more superior options."

Our generation has been rich, not much in agriculture but rather in technology. People have been lazy going to the library given that there is an internet that is now existing. However, We must be reminded that not all things can be trusted with technology because as we all know not all messages are true may it be in the internet nor in just a simple text. Life has existed before technology was discovered and it will surely will after its gone.

Blogpost 4: Bully!

What are you afraid of? We all have our own fears deep down inside. Fear is something we are so vulnerable of. It has a tendency to take us away of our comfort zone and we all know that being out of our own zone tends to affect us, our lives even. It gets through our nerves leading us to be disoriented. No one, as far as I'm concern, has ever been happy living or just even facing their fear.

Children are prone to be negatively affected by their fears. At an early age, they can develop phobias which they could carry for the rest of their lives. Not only that, living in  fear hinders a person living his or her life to the fullest. 

Bullying is one way of exercising one's power over someone. It portrays hierarchy in a wrong way. Only a few brave ones  has ever tried fighting back with these bullies but the rest are just contented moving on as if they were accepting their defeat. Today, bullying is everywhere. We, in the Philippines, have already made a law against bullying because it is so blatant that authorities needed to make some penalties in order to stop it.

In an article by Tim Woda, Short and Long Term Effects of Bullying - The Victim & the Bully from uknowkids.com, states the different effects of bullying in a kid as he starts with a statement, "Bullying is a major problem today." In his article he emphasizes that a person who is bullied has a tendency to lose his self-esteem, his concentration and focus on things. Given those symptoms, it can already affect the kid's performance in school leading to worry of embarrassing their parents. Worst case, the kid might not be able to stay long in school and drop out eventually. 

  

Now, there are different types of bullying. There is one which is also viral these days, it is what they call cyber bullying. Coming from the name itself, technology has been used in many ways but there are things that we can't prevent from it--the negative use of technology. A lot of cases regarding cyber bullying have been piling up as the years gone by.

 In relation to what Tim Woda has said, Jason Koebler also has something to say regarding bullying. In Children who are bullied are more likely to grow up to be troubled adults from usnews, bullying leaves a scar in the minds of its victim which we call trauma. Trauma can be worsen and end up resulting to having some mental problems. Furthermore, bullying was linked to suicidal thoughts. " About a fourth of children said they were bullied at least once.", says Koebler. Imagine how many of them thinks of attempting suicide everyday. 

We are a generation, we make our own future. We must be mindful of the effects of what we are doing not only to the people that we meet every single day but also as we effect them, the people that they reach in their lives. Everything we do has a riffle effect, believe it or not. We must be aware on how make the world better and not the other way around.

 

 

Blogpost 3: This is My Game

It was believed that the 90's was the last generation where children literally go out and play games on the streets. During those days, sports are for adults while the streets are conquered by the little ones. It was a usual routine for the kids that they go to school in the morning, go home, finish their homework then play until forever. Well, it is still same thing until now but the difference is how kids back then and now give meaning to the word "games". 

As years gone by, the things we play are also evolving, from stones to "jolens" to  "pogs". However, games for the kids this days are not the ones you play physically but games now a days are just played by hands and eyes, doesn't require effort physically but rather it's more on mentally already. But the question is, is it good or bad? 

Timothy Rudon have written an article at SelfGrowth.com which is about the 10 Benefits of Video Games. He has enumerated several gains from playing the computer games. It is usually used by the doctors to divert the attention of the children from thinking that they are sick. It is also used to improve the skills of those who are having a hard time with their hand-eye coordination. Also, computer games are played by those who had accidents which can help recover faster from their injuries. But on the other hand, Rudon also emphasizes the danger being addicted to it, as I quote, " Place your trust in your child but ensure that he or she is able to gauge accurately right from wrong."

It is fun to see the improvements of computer games or video games. It has evolved from black and white to colored and many other things were changed too. That's why you can't blame the kiddos if you see them stuck in their chair in front of a computer. Due to the advancement of the technology, gaming is not that boring anymore if I may say. You do have a lot of options to choose on, whether you want to be the a soldier, a warrior, etc. You get the chance to experience being a superhero yourself. 

Although, there is a big "but" that parents need to consider. We're all aware that having too much of something could lead to something we usually don't want to happen. Allowing kids to stay in front of the computer would eventually develop an attitude wherein they might just neglect their other responsibilities such as their homework, projects, papers and other requirement in school. Parental guidance must also be observe regarding the content of the games they are playing. There might be some violence which could trigger the kids mind to be curious and may lead him or her to apply it in real life.

An article by Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D., Negative Potentials of Video Games from education.com, has given some of the things that might be experience from having too much of video games. She said that this gaming could confuse people from fantasy and reality. Also, its not a good influence because it depicts a very weak image for the women in the games they make. Video games have a tendency to rob the chance of children to be creative in their own way and be able to express themselves fully. As she emphasizes one important thing, " Watching a screen for prolonged periods can cause vision and eye problems." Yes, most of the children now a days wear glasses as early as 5 or 6, not because they are born with a weak eye vision but because at an early age they were already exposed to such things that could have been controlled and could have kept their eyes with a 20-20 vision.

Our generation is the era of electronics. It is just seldom to see children enjoying their freedom of childhood on the streets anymore. Video games are not bad, however, it can be if it is already causing a big change in the behavior of a person. It has a lot of benefits yet on the other hand it has a lot negative effects too. In the end, everyone still has a choice, how will you play the game?

Blogpost 2: Fortune, Money and Fame

We all have our own lusts for things. Its normal to desire to be successful in life and be able to buy and purchase the things that we want. However, we all know that everything has a limit but that same reason has become the reason why we are triggered to do things that are accepted by the norm. Succeeding in life teds to push us to the limit, meaning to say we maximize our capabilities that we have.

Fortune, money and fame are the top three things every person dream of. They don't just give us the capability to do what we want, get the attention that we desire or the life of being in a cloud 9 but also it gives us power. The power to be above others who relies on us, power to manage things the way we want them to happen. 

As teenagers, we are suppose to be in school excelling, doing a lot of projects to meet the requirements in order to pass for the next level but on the other hand that is not happening to our world anymore. Young people tries to get out college as soon as possible to be a part of the "real world". They want to experience being an adult earning their own money, not for their future, but for their leisure as the enjoy life. They want to live life to the fullest that's why they try to be out there and find their own fortune. 

In an article entitled Money! Power! Fame! (And Other Ways To Fail) from the site Harvard Business Review, Bill Taylor discusses the usual mistake people thinks about success and that is depending on fortune, money and fame as a standard of a good life. However he gave some tips of how to be a good leader, as he states, "The surest way to fail is to rely for your success on money, power, and fame." Its all about humility rather than pride. Most people commit mistakes, especially those who are just starting in life, by thinking that pride can bring them on top but in reality it is the other way around. Pride will only eat yourself, leading you to be selfish in life and in the end, it will push you to use people and hurt them.

This is the most common mistakes in our generation. Young people these days tend to just think for their own good. what is the effect of this mentality? Simple, there won't be good leaders in the future, no one will be able to train the next generation. 

Also, in another article by Shashank Sampathy, Success : Some Times its not about Money or Fame from the Rotten View. He shared here that people has the wrong idea of success. It is not about those three material things but rather its about your passion on doing what you love and what you are happy about. It's being able to do things trusting yourself that you can be something big with the small things that you're doing today. Here's an inspirational quote from his article. "Don't waste your precious talent and become a clown instead of Einstein, where others laugh at you because achieving Success some times is not about Money or Fame, it's about something more, its about love, its about confidence, its about getting through difficulties and more importantly its about Happiness."

I believe that the children are always the future. As they grow old, they will have their own spot light in this world to be an impact to the lives of other people. However, It wont be easy. it requires hard work, perseverance and heart in the field of their work. We must not be blind to what the majority thinks about "success" but rather let us focus on how we can get to it without using or hurting other people. Lastly, we should not think selfishly, lets help one another as one generation in order to attain the real goal: to be a better future.

 

Blogpost 1: Young and Preggy

      Each generation has its own mark in our history. And being part of  one, we tend to be eager to prove something. We either follow the past generation or make a different impact of our own. That's the common mentality of each era and believe it or not it is the second one that has always been chosen. People always want to be greater than the past.

    The transition of the technology that took years to develop a few decades ago now  has decreased into months. Even the communication, from scrolls to letters, we now have computers or cellular phones where in just a few minutes or even seconds you can receive and send messages to other people. It also includes making things a lot easier like the transportation, producing instant foods, etc.

    However, there has always been a down fall with it. There are some issues that has not been resolved but rather became more viral. Instead of learning from the mistakes of our old folks, the desire of being better leads to making it worst. There is a tendency wherein generations after generation lose track of the awareness of what is right from wrong. They end up learning through their own experience which shouldn't be that way all the time. It seems that its just merely a cycle that repeats over and over again.

    Pregnancy is one of the greatest things that could ever happen to a woman. Bearing a child for nine months is not easy. It takes a lot of care in order to keep the baby healthy in the mother's womb. Imagine you are bearing a human being inside your body for months. You'll undergo certain processes like monthly check ups, being required to eat foods that you do not usually eat daily or simply the morning sickness where you'll just feel sick every time you wake up. Pregnancy requires you to take a special care of yourself because technically you are taking care of two human being at once.

In an article from the New York Daily news entitled Tough truths by teen pregnancy, John Mcwhorter tackles about teenage pregnancy and hard it is to be a single mom. He also mentioned in his article the truth about our generation today, that simple ad warning doesn't work anymore instead people are even getting offended by it. There was a statement where he said, "I suspect that many women like her are seeing the posters as plain old good advice."

   There has been studies that, not only the number of teenage pregnancy is increasing, but also the range of their ages. What does that mean? it means that as time goes by, girls who gets pregnant tends to get younger and younger. A doctor shared that the youngest girl she was able to handle on giving birth was only 12 years old. Shocking? here's more, at the age of 15 she gave birth again for her 2nd child. 

Another article from The Washington Post by Ruth Marcus entitled Truth-telling on teen pregnancy supported Mcwhorter's idea. Teen moms needs support most specially when they are trying to provide for their child or children if I may say. it was also detailed what are the possibilities you'll end up with if you are child of a teen mom. There's a large possibility you'll not be able to finish school and worst for boys, they end up going to prison. He states, "But to say that we shouldn’t shame pregnant teenagers is different from saying that it’s a shame anytime a teenager gets pregnant."

Teenage pregnancy is a part of our generation. Yes, it is sad that we have to face this reality but let our awareness be an advantage to help resolve it. For me, it would be helpful if every kid would be given the right education not only academically but also in terms of these sensitive things.